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Grading Florida State football: Coaching staff lets team down
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- Grading Florida State football: Coaching staff lets team down
It will be a long trip back for Florida State football after a 24-21 upset defeat to Georgia Tech in its season opener on an international stage in Dublin, Ireland.
A game-winning 44-yard field goal by Aidan Birr as time expired clinched the victory for the Yellow Jackets .
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Georgia Tech captured its first win against the Seminoles since 2020. However, it was in 2015 the last time the Yellow Jackets beat a ranked opponent, which happened to be the Seminoles.
It is the Seminole's first ACC loss since 2022.
The Seminoles will start the season 0-1 overall and in the ACC, while the Yellow Jackets made a case for themselves as a threat in the ACC by taking down the 10-ranked Seminoles.
Things regarding play-calling and game management didn't go as planned for Mike Norvell and his coaching staff.
Here are the grades of FSU's seasonal opener.
Offense: C -
Aug 24: Florida State University's DJ Uiagalelei looks to hand off the ball against Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium.
FSU's running game started a spark early in the opening drive. Utilizing all four backs, the Seminoles set up a 58-yard scoring drive led by Lawarance Toafili and Roydell Williams. It would set up a 28-yard score by Toafili.
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QB DJ Uiagalelei was efficient. While he has been on and off downfield, he made two clutch throws on back-to-back fourth-down plays.
Uiagalelei completed 19 for 26 of his passes. Georgia Tech's front seven overwhelmed the Seminoles' offensive line, generating pressure and disrupting FSU's backfield.
Despite a fast start by the running game, the Seminoles were held to 98 yards. Wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas led with four catches for 55 receiving yards.
Defense: D
Aug. 24: Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is tackled by Florida State defensive back at Aviva Stadium.
The defense struggled to stop Georgia Tech's run.
Georgia Tech's offensive line has manhandled FSU's defensive line, which is supposed to be the strength, creating open lanes for running back Jamal Haynes. Haynes finished the day with 75 yards in 11 carries and two touchdowns.
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The back-end defense was on their heels, missing open-field tackles and chasing the ball against the carrier. The defense allowed 336 yards. On the ground, the Yellow Jackets allowed 190 rushing yards.
Special Teams: A
FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald kept the game alive with his leg. In the first half, he nailed two field goals over 50 yards. His 59-yarder tied the game at 14 and was the second-longest in FSU history. It is also a career-best for the senior.
After its first touchdown on the opening drive, FSU went for a trick play on an extra point. A toss to tight end Brian Courtney gave the Seminoles two points.
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Edwin Joseph made an open-field tackle on a punt by Alex Mastromanno , putting the Yellow Jackets at its 10. The only disappointment on special teams was the game-winning field goal by the Yellow Jackets.
Coaches : F
This was a kick to the gut for Norvell and his coaching staff, letting the Yellow Jackets outplay the Seminoles.
FSU's time management during a two-minute drive was costly after trailing 14-11. FSU had three timeouts left and only used one with 18 seconds left at GT's 40. During the drive, it took a full minute to get a play off.
No adjustment was made in the second half, and FSU's running game couldn't respond to Georgia Tech's run defense. Norvell had no choice but to take some shots downfield and relied on Uiagalelei to put some points on the board. And the Seminoles' defense, specifically up front, did not record a sack and allowed Tech to run at will.
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Florida State football schedule 2024
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Aug. 24 vs. Georgia Tech *Dublin, Ireland at noon., ESPN
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Sept. 2 vs. Boston College at 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Sept. 14 vs. Memphis
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Sept. 21 vs. California
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Sept. 28 at SMU
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Oct. 5 vs. Clemson
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Oct. 18 at Duke
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Oct. 26 at (U) Miami
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Nov. 2 vs. North Carolina
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Nov. 9 at Notre Dame
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Nov. 23 vs. Charleston Southern
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Nov. 30: Florida
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Dec. 7: ACC Championship
BOLD = ACC
* = Neutral Site
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football report card: Grading Seminoles vs Georgia Tech
